In packaging certain products such as baby foods and juices, it is common to provide a hermetically sealed vacuum package that comprises a closure and a container wherein the closure is forced axially onto the container and has a sealing gasket cast in situ that engages the finish of the container to provide a seal. Typically, the closure is made of metal and the container is made of glass. It is also common that the container have an interrupted thread on its finish which becomes embedded in the gasket material to form a thread so that the closure can be removed by an unthreading action. The provision of such a thread produces problems in production and requires careful monitoring and inspection of the containers. In addition, the rolled edge of the metal cap can cause rusting if not properly formed. The gasket material needs to be distributed over a large area and with a greater thickness to provide a thread in the gasket material.
Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a hermetically sealed package wherein the closure is made of plastic; which requires a much less complex finish on the container; wherein the closure design minimizes the number of internal contours; wherein the design results in a controlled flow of sealing gasket material during manufacture; wherein the closure can be applied by a relative vertical motion between the closure and the container and wherein the closure can be readily resealed on the container. A further objective is to provide such a package embodying a tamper indicating band.
In accordance with the invention, the tamper indicating hermetically sealed package comprises a container having a neck with an opening and a closure. The container includes a first annular bead at the upper end adjacent the opening and a second axially annular bead spaced axially from the first bead and having a greater diameter than the first bead. The closure is made of plastic and comprises a base wall and a peripheral skirt. The base wall includes an annular bead on the internal surface thereof and the peripheral skirt includes an interrupted annular bead spaced axially from the base wall. A sealing gasket is cast in situ in the channel defined by the annular bead on the base wall and the peripheral skirt and extends to the interrupted annular bead on the skirt. A tamper indicating band is connected along a weakened line to the peripheral skirt and includes an interrupted annular bead that is adapted to engage the second bead on the container.